One of its greatest delights I recognised straight away and it forms the subject matter of this poem, a poem it has taken twelve years to complete. The imagery of the circus presented itself fairly quickly but on closer observation the upside down opposite world was somehow obvious as if the bird world was saying - there is more to us than meets the eye.
I scribbled page after page of notes as you do but got nowhere. It was only when I stumbled on the idea of the Edwardian gentleman doing the watching as he drunk his morning coffee that it fell into place.
Gentleman’s Delight
I was sitting on the terrace drinking morning coffee
when Spring arrived, blown in on a fair wind
bringing the circus of birds back to the garden.
A topsy turvy spectacle beneath the big top blue sky,
don’t expect robin red breast to be the ring master,
as he scurries in the undergrowth.
It’s left to the blackbird looking like a dullard,
who is anything but, to herald and open events,
perching on the fence top, singing in full and glorious voice.
Harlequin finches hang in twos and fours
far too serious to make spectators laugh,
gobbling down sunflower seeds like no tomorrow
If you want laughter watch the silver winged starlings
with their punk rock tufts swarming in on scatterings
screeching, squabbling and scrapping with each other.
Deep in the flower bed a tiger striped cat crouches
while bullet fast tits zoom in and out of nest boxes
proving that the wing is faster than the claw.
I stand and stroll to the conservatory for lunch,
delighted that there will be a daily show until they leave,
heading for their winter quarters.
Bill Allison
8 comments:
I agree with you about retirement. I'm enjoying mine and birdwatching is part of it. I liked your poem enormously.
I liked the circus metaphor and enjoyed the poem...but one ornithological footnote: the birds you named are perennials, they don't arrive with spring or head off in winter.
I really enjoyed this Bill, the extended conceit of a birds' circus and some excellent imagery: particularly the harlequin goldfinches (spot-on) and that alliterative verse about starlings (possibly my favourite among birds). Well worth the twelve years wait! 😉
Sounds idyllic. Is that your garden?
Very good - lively and well-observed. Just right for this week too with RSPB birdwatch week-end approaching.
I love your decription of Goldfinches as Halequins. As a child. I was enthralled by Paul, the Harelquin who worked with Charlie Carolli at The Tower Circus. Lovely poem.
Vibrant. You really caught the sense of spectacle well.
What a splendid phrase you daughters came up with. Regenerated.
I love the idea of the Edwardian gentleman.
How I would love to stand and stroll to the conservatory.
Wonderful poem with such imagination rooted in observations.
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